The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream-Chapter 137

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 137

[Main Quest #12 Completed.]

[Since there were no casualties, the reward has been increased to the maximum.]

[Received 1,000,000 gold.]

[Gained 40 stat points.]

[Experience increased by 550,000.]

[Level increased by 5.]

[Gained 5 additional stat points.]

[Progress has advanced.]

[Main Quest #13: Epilogue]

You successfully defended Ifrit from the final monster wave.

Now, it's time to return to the city and take care of the remaining tasks.

Objective: Reach the story’s ending.

Reward: Episode completion.

Current Progress: 97%

- Whoa.

- That reward is insane, lol.

- Did they really kill the yeti like that?

- A boss? No choice but to worship it.

- The spirit is strong, but that sword is busted too.

- Wait, how is it even possible to move like that?

- [Info] This guy is Gear Level 3.

- "This guy"? Do you think Black Dragon is your buddy or something?

- But a 0-casualty run… isn't that basically a glitch?

- Those dwarf guys are out of their minds.

- Is this even something a normal player can pull off?

- No one else has done what he did.

- Even getting close would be a huge win.

[User ‘SmallSpender’ has donated 100,000 won.]

[Are you insane?]

[User ‘ㅇㅇ’ has donated 300,000 won.]

[Can’t you just write a new strategy guide?]

[User ‘SwordGod’ has donated 1,000,000 won.]

[Damn, I’m jealous of that sword.]

[User ‘SpiritLord’ has donated 5,000,000 won.]

[Congratulations!]

[Corporation Taeyul has donated 4,000,000 won.]

[Yeonhwa Gaming has donated 5,000,000 won.]

[User ‘Gellrod’ has donated 7,000,000 won.]

...

The chat and donation messages flooded in.

The response was overwhelming.

"Thank you, everyone. But about this strategy..."

"Black Dragon!"

A voice called out from behind.

Turning around, three of his battle companions were running toward him.

"Are you okay? You nearly died back there!"

Jinuk, still shaken by the intense life-or-death battle, checked his condition.

Kevin walked over to the cliff’s edge, peering down.

"You actually pulled it off… I might have underestimated your strength."

Even for an experienced A-rank adventurer like him, it was a shocking sight.

Dozens of meters below, the forest lay in ruins.

Amid the crushed trees and bushes, the fallen yeti’s massive corpse was clearly visible.

"Hah! That was a spectacular takedown! What do you want to do with the body?"

Kudran added that leaving it unattended could be dangerous.

A powerful monster’s corpse could disrupt the local ecosystem.

"There's still loot to collect. Let’s head down."

"I’ll go gather some people to help with the process!"

With a nod, Kudran quickly disappeared into the woods.

"And what about you?"

"Uh, I was just about to go, but..."

Jinuk awkwardly lowered his outstretched arm.

He was probably still feeling guilty about his actions at the corpse disposal site earlier.

"Oh! There they are!"

Before long, the reinforcements arrived quicker than expected.

A mix of adventurers, soldiers, and dwarves—

A team-up that would have been unthinkable not long ago.

It seemed they had already finished dealing with the monster wave and were now searching the forest.

"Black Dragon took down that thing?"

"An enraged yeti… just thinking about it is terrifying."

As the group peered down at the corpse below, they couldn’t hide their astonishment.

Hanbit, heading toward the detour, spoke up.

"Let’s get down there first."

* * *

Hah... You really fought against something like this?"

"Wasn't Black Dragon ranked as a D-rank adventurer? That makes no sense."

"He has the golden bracelet. His rank doesn’t really matter."

The group stood in front of the yeti’s corpse after descending the cliff.

Even though the beast was clearly dead, its sheer presence made them hesitant to approach.

‘…No way.’

Hanbit’s eyes caught something, and he climbed onto the corpse’s chest.

A gaping hole, shattered by the impact of an attack.

Inside, the tip of a blue crystal was barely visible.

Crack—

Hanbit reached in and pulled it out.

Brushing off the black soot, the crystal's full form was revealed.

[Yeti’s Breath]

Rank: 5

Rarity: Epic

Description: A rare crystal formed from the condensed breath of a yeti mixed with its frost-infused mana over time. When used, it creates a temporary protective zone that grants powerful cold resistance while restoring health and mana. Once its effect wears off, it can be used as a material for magical artifacts or equipment crafting.

- Huh?

- Yeti drops this?

- I thought fur and fangs were the standard loot.

- That’s a different kind of yeti.

- The level difference between this and the usual story yeti is 60.

The chat exploded as players noticed an unexpected loot drop.

Hanbit was just as surprised.

‘So this actually drops here?’

The crystal had survived even after the yeti’s body was torn apart by his attack, without a single scratch.

Normally, this kind of item could only be obtained from rare yetis in completely different regions.

Yet, somehow, he had acquired it here.

An unexpected turn of events had led to a new reward.

Several potential uses immediately came to mind.

"Did you find something?"

Kudran approached, curious.

Hanbit stepped down and held up the crystal.

"I found this. Do you recognize it?"

"Oh, let me take a look!"

Kudran leaned in, examining the crystal closely.

Rubbing his chin, he then declared confidently—

"Hah! I have no idea! You should show it to the prince instead!"

With a hearty laugh, Kudran abandoned any attempt at appraisal.

Instead, he gestured toward the yeti’s body.

"There are some useful materials here! We’ll salvage whatever doesn’t disintegrate!"

Materials harvested from monster corpses were usually limited.

Most of the body would naturally deteriorate over time.

This wasn’t just a game mechanic—historically, the same thing had happened.

Ssshhh—

As if proving that point, parts of the yeti’s body started turning black.

Moments later, they crumbled into dust, scattering into the air.

"Let’s make a transport cart!"

"We’ll help."

"Start cutting down some trees over there!"

Led by Kudran, the group began working together.

With dwarves around, the cart would be built in no time.

‘They’re still watching.’

A distant gaze lingered.

Someone from the Holy Kingdom was observing them.

Not from Isis’s 8th Bishop faction, but from another bishop’s forces.

‘I can’t kill them.’

If they were simply an enemy, tracking them down and eliminating them would be the logical move.

But this information needed to reach the Holy Kingdom.

Its ripple effect would play a crucial role in Hanbit’s plan.

"Alright, let’s move out!"

Just as expected, the preparations to transport the yeti’s remains were completed quickly.

Hanbit took one last glance at the forest before heading toward Ifrit with the others.

* * *

"There they are!"

"I heard that person led the subjugation."

"It wasn’t just leading—it was planned down to the last detail!"

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

As Hanbit returned to the city, the citizens welcomed them with cheers.

Judging by the satisfied smile on Xenon’s face, he must have let slip some details about Black Dragon.

"But the dwarves were incredible too, right?"

"Did you see earlier? They were breathing fire!"

"They even built all those siege weapons!"

Another hot topic was the dwarves.

Previously, under the mayor’s influence, the city had harbored deep resentment toward them.

But now, not a trace of that hatred remained.

To the citizens, the dwarves were the heroes who had protected Ifrit.

"Ahem. Are they talking about us?"

"Well, we did put in some effort this time."

"This is just how strong we are when we’re serious."

Hearing the loud praise, the dwarves rubbed their noses, embarrassed.

Even if it was a victory-driven shift, this wasn’t just a temporary change.

Of course, the past still lingered, waiting to be addressed.

"This is ridiculous."

Mayor Pirnen scoffed as she watched the excitement.

Turning her head, she spoke again.

"Have you all forgotten about the greedy dwarves who cared only about money? And you, dwarves—aren’t you resentful of the discrimination and hatred you suffered?"

- ?

- What’s her deal?

- [Hard Facts] Some people just have to speak the truth to feel better.

- [Socially Inept] Completely oblivious to the mood.

- Wasn’t she the one who made everyone hate the dwarves in the first place?

- We can’t let this slide. Time to show her some Salion justice.

[Barres has donated 1,000 won.]

[Hiss... That’s a bit much.]

Breaking the victorious atmosphere sent the chat into an uproar.

Yet, those who heard her words couldn’t refute them.

Like it or not, these were thoughts they hadn’t been able to shake even before the wave.

"Sister, please stop."

Jinuk finally stepped forward, unable to hold back.

His face was tense with anger.

"Jinuk, you’re the biggest hypocrite of them all. Weren’t you the one who tormented the dwarves the most? I don’t know what kind of influence Black Dragon had on you, but that fact won’t change."

"…I know. That’s why I’ll spend my life making amends."

Swish—

Jinuk turned toward the dwarves’ ranks.

Then, he bowed deeply.

"I have spent years hurling insults and violence at you. I don’t expect forgiveness. I just... I am deeply ashamed and full of regret. I can’t erase the past, but truly… I am sorry."

His sincere apology left the citizens frozen.

Even if they hadn’t been as cruel as Jinuk, memories of their own disgraceful actions surfaced.

"…No, we can’t forget."

The one who spoke was Balron, the dwarven elder.

Stepping forward, he lowered his gaze.

"These past few years have been hell for us. Ever since His Highness left, we’ve been treated as nothing more than trash. It felt like, even if we took our own lives, we’d only be met with ridicule."

His calm words struck deep into the hearts of the humans.

After a brief pause, he lifted his head and looked at them all.

"But we were at fault too. We let greed consume us, lost our way, and abandoned our own identity. That was my decision. And shamefully, I didn’t realize my mistake until just before His Highness returned."

This was the same elder who had accepted the mayor’s offer, swaying the dwarves’ stance.

Right or wrong wasn’t the issue—it was more complicated than that.

In the end, their actions had driven Gorik away, creating an extreme divide.

For so long, they had blamed the prince who had left them, instead of facing their own faults.

"Truly pathetic."

Gorik, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.

With a sigh, he looked down at his hammer.

"And I am the most pathetic of all. The fact that I couldn’t become king makes that clear. A ruler should never let their people starve."

His stubborn belief that all dwarves should be blacksmiths had led to disaster.

The consequences of that choice weighed heavily on him.

Thus, after the past few days of events, many realizations had come to light.

"Ifrit was protected through the strength of everyone here. My father, King Hedric, once said—one must forge the future, not dwell on the past. And in that future, there is no need to divide dwarves and humans."

His voice, carrying weight and meaning, resonated deeply within the citizens' hearts.

Jinuk, still bowing, was no exception.

"But you are different. You still don’t seem to understand."

Gorik turned his gaze toward Pirnen, whose face was red with anger.

Hearing her name, she jabbed a finger in his direction and retorted.

"You think I don’t understand? Who do you think made Ifrit prosperous? It’s all thanks to me leading these idiotic fools! I’m the one who even allowed the dwarves in!"

"And? If Black Dragon hadn’t come to this city, everyone here would’ve been wiped out. You wouldn’t have escaped death either."

"What’s the point of that kind of hindsight? If the adventurers and soldiers had just done their jobs, we would’ve been fine! And Levius from the research institute wouldn’t have just sat back and watched!"

Pirnen screamed in frustration, denying every argument.

Watching this exchange, Hanbit finally stepped forward.

"You said you made Ifrit prosperous?"

"Isn’t it obvious? Do you have any idea how valuable our city is?"

"Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I was just thinking—if you had actually used all the money you pocketed, you could’ve protected the city properly."

"…What did you just say?"

"You turned Ifrit into a hub of commerce and the arts by funneling money into your own projects, right? That’s why you refused to alert outsiders about the danger and insisted on keeping the glass walls."

"……."

As Hanbit laid out the facts one by one, Pirnen fell silent.

She glared at Hanbit for a moment before scoffing.

"And where’s your proof?"

"Oh, I know you already cleaned up everything. You’re not that stupid."

"Your words reflect your lack of class. I’ll report this reckless defiance of the mayor to the capital. I’ll make sure you’re exiled from the Raven Kingdom—"

"You can report it right here."

Cutting her off, Hanbit turned toward the shattered city gates.

Pirnen followed her gaze—and her eyes widened.

Neigh—!

A group of knights and soldiers arrived, mounted on unadorned horses, as if they had rushed here without delay.

Leading the charge was a woman clad in platinum armor.

She swiftly dismounted and strode toward them.

Srrk—

As she removed her helmet, long black hair cascaded down, framing her piercing blue eyes.

It was Leon, the Vice Captain of the Royal Guard.

"Leon…!"

Pirnen’s eyes trembled at the sight of her.

Leon stopped directly in front of her, then unfurled a parchment bearing the royal seal.

"A report has been submitted regarding the emergence of abnormal monsters in Ifrit, the capture of a Holy Kingdom devotee, as well as cases of negligence, embezzlement, and dereliction of duty concerning the city’s defense, finances, and personnel. You are hereby required to cooperate with the investigation, Mayor Pirnen d'Artuis."

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]